I am beginning to feel there may be hope for Nigeria after all. I was discussing with Pat Utomi (Patito's gang) earlier today ot the OTC conference in Houston, and he remarked that he and some other intellectuals were floating a political party, and he might be declaring his intention to run for President soon.

It got me thinking if Nigerians will really vote for a technocrat/intellectual like this despite his vision.

What do you think? Would you vote for him if he contested?

Pat Utomi ?

Intelectuals in politics?

Why did America have somebody as low as Bush as President?

I have see Intelectuals messing up political positions as well.

He is a good man though.

loma:

t got me thinking if Nigerians will really vote for a technocrat/intellectual like this despite his vision.

Ioma,our style of politics in Afica is not yet ripe for pure intellectual of his kind.Been an intellectual is not a major ingredient considered in politics though it may be a plus sometimes.
To be a  political leader or politician requires more than just be an intellectual.
I wont vote for him,though he is a manager and administrator of worth.

Ioma tell him to come to class,where he will be properly groomed politically.

I would vote for him, but i would like him to start out in the house of representatives or something if he has that ambition.

People would want to vote for him? the problem is the people ontop already have their ways to stay on top thats the problem if not PDP and co, its really hard your votes wont count.

Pat Utomi for what? President.

Well he can own a politicalparty it is OK but i do not see him making a good President for Nigeria.

He can be a good Minister, adviser or policy maker as the case may be.

Have you forgotten what the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka said about not having the temperament of occurring the position of a Nigeria President.

I think Uncle Pat should continue in his gang talk show in enlightening the Nigeria people and produce more businessmen from his business school in Lagos

No way but good luck to hime.

I will definately vote for him.

NSNA:

I will definately vote for him.

Civilian votes does not count anymore in nigeria, The nigerian government is not democracy, its still military rule in disguise,

@larger_20

You know some people do not understand how some of thess things are done down here in Nigeria.

If you do not belong you can never ever get there, so some people should not waste their time, money, life and etc in the name of contesting an election.

2007 will be a Turing point in Nigeria. we are watching how it will come out to be.

But it is good we are discussing this issues are we are creating awareness that we did have before now.

I am very sure this Geographical expression call Nigeria will not disintegrate not even at this stage of our nationhood.

Nwoke:

I would vote for him, but i would like him to start out in the house of representatives or something if he has that ambition.

yeah i agree

pascal:

@larger_20


I am very sure this Geographical expression call Nigeria will not disintegrate not even at this stage of our nationhood.

We shall overcome!!

I think all you Nigerians are as confused as the politicians. How can you complain that good people are not coming out, but be the first to run down an intellectual. Do you realise the kind of respect Nigeria will earn when someone like Utomi comes to power. Nigeria does not need a politician at this momenty of our history, we need a leader.

Are you not tired of the kind of politics Anenih and OBJ are playing?

Intellectuals are mostly not suitable for the position of a leader. They can best be an adviser. Though it takes the mind to succed, it is the heart that rules.

Plato, despite his wisdom and his fantastic work, "The Philosopher King" and "Republic", failed when he was made a leader in Athens.

In ancient Yoruba land, the wise are mostly not the king but the priest. Just like Soludo, Pat Utomi cant make it as a president

But let him try, know one is absolutely sure.

So who exactly are the leaders? The Anenihs, Alis, Nzeribes? Is that your idea of good leaders? Me I don tire!!

Experince is very important in nigerian leadership. Being able to deal with the shock of horror because it will surely happen especially this evil days. I strogly believe that nigeria will go for war that will lead to emergence of good leaders. Diplomative solution to nigerian politics will never bring a nice man to power. Only war or comparable crisis like the rebelous massacca will lead to emergency of good leader in nigeria and it is going to happen soon.

I would vote Utomi because I believe he is our best option at the moment. At least Nigeria has seen that illiterates clearly do not have what it takes to rule the country or leave when the time is right.

Let the truth be told.The significant difference made in the second term of Obasanjo's administration came through the efforts of such people like Ngozi Okonjo Eweala,Charles Soludo,Oby Ezekwilisi.It was not the work of the politicains who made his first term a major mess.

Do you guys think politiacins will keep a 35 billion dollar resereve? Therefore, we need more people who have proven themselves in the private sector to really make things change and Pat Utomi is one of uch people.

I am praying that Ngozi Okonjo Iwaela is made a VP though. We need thinkers.Politicians are very daft people.Most of them spent all their lives in the Army or civil service where they never had to think about how to turn a million to twenty million.All they have received is big budget money to spend and contract.(Think Olabode George, Mantu etc)

If Uncle Pat feels he's got teh fight in him then i say GO FOR IT! for so long we have talked the talk i think its time our intellectuals WALK the WALK! yes i agree that been an intellectaul does automatically translate to been a good leader. but one of teh probs we have in nigeria is that our leaders most times don't understand the problem of teh country. most of our leaders have been unwillingly dragged to office Shagari, OBJ (1979 and 1999).
We need leaders wity vision and i believe PAt has it and moreso he fits into the current agitation for a leader from teh south-south. Pat is guaranteed my vote!

gidig:

Let the truth be told.The significant difference made in the second term of Obasanjo's administration came through the efforts of such people like Ngozi Okonjo Eweala,Charles Soludo,Oby Ezekwilisi.It was not the work of the politicains who made his first term a major mess.

Do you guys think politiacins will keep a 35 billion dollar resereve? Therefore, we need more people who have proven themselves in the private sector to really make things change and Pat Utomi is one of uch people.

I am praying that Ngozi Okonjo Iwaela is made a VP though. We need thinkers.Politicians are very daft people.Most of them spent all their lives in the Army or civil service where they never had to think about how to turn a million to twenty million.All they have received is big budget money to spend and contract.(Think Olabode George, Mantu etc)

Not all Politicians are daft.

We have had highly educated elements in our polity before.

Is Alex Ekwueme with about six degrees daft?

Is Omololu olunloyo daft?

Is Richard Akinjide daft?

Is Jerry Gana daft?

Even Police/Politician in Tafa Balogun is a PHD Holder.

Its not about book , its about wisdom to carry go.

HE most definitely has my vote, but does my vote count?

i won't vote for him.He's good as a business man not to run a complex country like Nigeria.It takes more than being able to churn in a million naira in each time you set out on a new business.
I wonder why we keep thinking every perceived successful man can rule Nigeria.Some even think Gani can rule Nigeria.Well that will be the worst thing to happen to Nigeria because by the time he is true with probing all past leaders, the economy will be 20yrs back

i think Pat is a good guy, but i dont think it's ok to just get up and gun for the top seat in Nigeria, people have to learn the process by starting from the grass roots. And also, the polity is so currupt that it'l take some time to clean up the mess these present guys are up to.

Some Nigerians are just as daft as the useless crop of politicians we have now.

If Shagari a grade 2 teacher can rule us why not Pat who has a PhD, i am not saying that been an intellectual is a guarantee to been a good leader, but to me Pat might just be teh key. The guy has understudied Malaysia and that is one country nigeria can learn a lot from. The problem is most of our leaders don't appreciate the gravity of problem facing nigeria and even if they do they have never thought of how to tackle them. We need a visionary leader like Pat.

wish him good luck

Please forgive me, but who is Pat Utomi?

Old Glory:

Please forgive me, but who is Pat Utomi?

He's a Nigerian economist, very intelligent, became a Phd holder at a very young age I beleive. I think he now lectures at the Lagos business school. A google search will bring up more info

Thank you Mochafella. Does he have a chance? I am not sure he would be Presidential material. He can do better in someone's cabinet as foreign secretary, or treasury secretary.

@gidig

Pres George Bush is not known to have succeeded in any of his business endeavours prior to becoming Governor of Texas.

No matter how many years you are in private sector, if you're corrupt, you're corrupt.

would have loved him there but i doubt it because the corrupt ones would find their way there all the same wish him good luck

Maybe Pat Utomi is an intellectual, but more importantly he's also a businessman. Also, in case you think he's a young man because of his looks, he's actually 50 years old. But he hasn't declared any such ambition.

He hasnt declared because according to him, they are still sampling people's opinion, and waiting for the caretakers to finish the funeral rites for the late 3rd term project.